Racism,Discrimination,andSegregationinAmericaOriginsofRacism•“ScientificRacism”•Ethnocentrism•“OneDrop”Rule•Raceisasocialconstruct!Race:categoryofpeoplelabeledandtreatedassimilarbecauseofsomecommonbiologicaltraits,suchasskincolor,textureofhair,andshapeofeyesRacehasno“scientific”basis,e.g.,DNASlavery•Notalwaystiedtoracism.Theword“slave”comesfromsclavusmeaning“slavicpeople”orpeoplefromEastorCentralEurope.SlaverywasapartofmanyancientcivilizationsincludingAztec,Sumer,Egypt,Syria,Greece,Persia,Byzantines,Vikings,ArabandAfricankingdoms.•Lastedfrom1607–1865•“Inferiorityofrace”usedasajustification•SystemofdeferenceresultedDeference=submissionorcourteousyieldingtotheopinion,wishes,orjudgmentofanother.•13thAmendmentFreedtheslavesin1865(endoftheCivilWar)•14thAmendmentmadeAfricanAmericansUSCitizensin1867•15thAmendmentgaveallAmericanmentherighttovotein1868StrangeFruitAbelMeeropolBillieHoliday=h4ZyuULy9zsLynchingWithoutSanctuary:PhotographsandPostcardsofLynchinginAmerica•Definition:tolynchmeanstoputtodeath(usuallybyhanging)bymobactionwithoutdueprocessofthelaworlegalsanction.•Termcoinedin1830saftervigilanteWilliamLynch.•Manytypesofpeoplewerelynchedthroughouthistory,fromoutlawsintheAmericanWesttoimmigrantsinAmericancities,butthatthevastmajorityoflynchingvictimshavebeenAfrican-Americanmen.•Between1882and1968,mobslynched4,743personsintheUnitedStates,over70%ofthemAfrican-Americans.•Bythelate1920s,95%ofU.S.lynchingsoccurredintheSouth.•By1950,lynchingsvirtuallydisappearedduetoanti-lynchingeffortsheadedbytheNAACP.KuKluxKlan(KKK)Definition:awhitesupremacistgrouporiginatingintheSouthaftertheCivilWar.TheKKKhasbeenresponsibleforcountlessactsofterrorism,violence,andlynchingallintendedtointimidate,murderandoppressAfricanAmericans,Jews,andotherminorities.Membership1920=4,000,0001930=30,0001980=5,0002008=6,000AllegedKlanMembers:HarryTrumanWarrenG.Harding16Senators11Governors?#RepresentativesJimCrowLawsDefinition:Lawsthatseparated/segregatedAfricanAmericansandothernon-whiteracialgroupsfromWhiteAmericans.SomecommonlysegregatedspacesasaresultofJimCrowwere:•schools•publicareas•transportation•restrooms•restaurantsPlessyv.Ferguson(1896)•ThePlessydecisionmadeJimCrowlawslegal.•Therefore,accordingtotheSupremeCourt,segregationislegal.Definitions:Dejure=bylawDefacto=inpracticeEmmettTillMatthewShepard=Our_Story_Main_PageTheDeathofEmmettTill:=QjfGcRM35xg•14yearoldfromChicagovisitingrelativesinMoney,Mississippi(1955)•Supposedlywhistledatawhitewomaninagrocerystoreonadare•Thewoman’shusbandandhishalfbrotherwenttoTill’shousethatnight•Tillwaskidnapped,beaten,shot,andthenhisbodywasdumpedintoariver•Till’smotherinsistedonanopen-casket•The2menwenttotrial,butwereacquittedbytheallwhitejurymembers•Later,inexchangefor$4000,thementoldLookmagazinehowtheybrutallymurderedTillCivilRightsv.HumanRightsDefinition:inherentrightsthatallpeoplehavesimplybecausetheyarehuman.Notnecessarilyguaranteedbyagovernment.Definition:acontractbetweencitizensandtheirgovernment,wherethegovernmentspellsoutrightsaffordedtoitscitizens.Examples:RighttobeararmsFreedomoforfromreligionRighttovoteFreedomfromexcessivebailExamples:RighttofoodandwaterRighttomarryRighttorefusetokillRighttorestandleisureBUT,there’salotofoverlap.ManyoftherightsfoundinourUSConstitutionarealsofoundintheUniversalDeclarationofHumanRights.Forexample:freedomfromslaveryorservitude,freedomfromcruelorunusualpunishment,righttoequalprotectionunderthelaw.